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Ryman working to export the Grand Ole Opry experience worldwide

oprycitystage.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (OSBORNE)  --  Ryman Hospitality says it’s will consider opening Grand Ole Opry themed venues in Orlando and Las Vegas, just weeks after opening an Opry themed facility in New York City's Times Square.

Opry City Stage is a four floor, 28,000 square foot entertainment venue in the heart of the Big Apple. The complex contains performance spaces, a bar, restaurant and Opry exhibition space.

If the New York venue proves successful, look for Ryman to export the Nashville sound to other cities. Ryman CEO Colin Reed noted recently during a conference call with investors that the Nashville based Entertainment Company plans to push the Opry Stage concept into other cities.

“What we envision with Opry City Stage is this would go into what I would call the primary markets – tourist markets of this country where we see tens of millions of tourist markets.”

Locations mentioned include Orlando and Las Vegas. Reed says he also expects the concept to be exported to select international locations as well.

“If you go to Europe there’s a tremendous amount of people that love Country Music. You know, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we would find an international partner and do something internationally with Opry City Stage because of the love of Country Music.”

For the moment Reed says the company is focused on getting the Times Square facility productive. He notes the venue’s opening was seriously dealayed after a worker fell to his death on-site during construction.

He says Ryman is just beginning to roll out a major Opry City Stage marketing campaign that would have been cranked up at the venue’s opening if not for that delay.